Perfect Hawaiian Vacation - January 2009

Aloha!

January has come and gone...that means one thing in Hawaii. The Superbowl is over and it is now Pro Bowl Week. Visitors flock from all over to see the game and make a vacation out of it. Who can blame them?

Snowbirds can see the light at the end of the tunnel as winter is slowly coming to an end. April and May are great times to get deals and prices are lower than they were last year this time, so what are you waiting for? There are many exciting things going on in Hawaii!

Airline News

Mokulele Airlines based on the Big Island is a newcomer to the interisland scene. They had their inaugural flight on 2/2 between Oahu and Maui. Originally, they had planned to start service in March 2009 but moved it up because of demand. They will slowly expand service.

Alaska Airlines announced they will start 3x weekly service between Portland, OR and Maui beginning August 7, 2009. This is in addition to their service between Seattle and Kona.

Hawaii Hotel and Resort News

The long awaited return of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island happened on 12/20/08 when they had a soft opening. The Mauna Kea has been closed since 12/06 and has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation...It is Prince Resorts flagship property. They plan to have a full grand opening in March 2009.

The brand new Honua Kai Resort & Spa will be opening on Maui in phases through 2009 and 2010. It is an upscale resort located on the North part of Kaanapali Beach and are offering introductory rates.

The 5 star Grand Wailea Resort & Spa on Maui has completed a $50 million upgrade and renovation. Rooms have new carpet, paint, and flat-screen televisions. The Spa, fitness center, restaurants, beach area, and pool were also renovated.

The Royal Hawaiian hotel on Oahu has reopened after being closed since July 2008 for renovations. The $110 million renovation includes two new restaurants, Azuke and Surf Lanai. The Royal Hawaiian just hosted the Official Aloha Inaugural Ball for President Barack Obama. They actually played a song my friend, Kenneth Makuakane, composed and performed with the Pandanus Club. The song was the hit E'Waianae.

The Sheraton Waikiki on Oahu recently opened an 12,500 sq.ft. $8 million water playground named Helumoa.

Hawaiian Restaurants

The Maui Brewing Company at the Kahana Gateway Center on Maui has reopened after 4 months of eco-friendly renovations. It features Hawaii's first frost bar - a 60 ft. chilled bar counter. They also plan to expand their store from 5,300 sq. ft. to 8,900 sq.ft. and add tours and a tasting room.

Whole foods opened their first Hawaii store at Kahala Mall on Oahu...It is a short 10 minute drive from Waikiki.